New Delhi: A fresh internal rift has surfaced in the Congress after Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi intensified his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the West Asia conflict linked to Iran and its impact on fuel and LPG supply.
While Rahul has alleged that the Modi-led government failed to manage the crisis and compromised on foreign policy, senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath, Anand Sharma, Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari have taken a different line, saying the Centre has handled the situation responsibly.
Shashi Tharoor said the government was acting with responsibility, while Manish Tewari, speaking to a private TV channel, said the Centre had adopted an appropriate diplomatic stance. Anand Sharma and Kamal Nath also publicly stated that the government was managing the difficult situation effectively.
The disagreement widened after the Congress leadership alleged a severe nationwide shortage of LPG cylinders. Kamal Nath countered that there was no shortage anywhere, but only a perception of scarcity.
The BJP seized on these remarks. Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said Kamal Nath himself had acknowledged there was no shortage of LPG, petrol or diesel, and urged the Congress to stop spreading what he called false information for political gain. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also attacked Rahul Gandhi, citing the visible differences within the Congress.
The report noted that such divisions are not new, recalling earlier disagreements during debates around ‘Operation Sindoor’ following the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, when some Congress leaders urged putting national interest above party lines.
